World War II Honoree

Forrest E. Everhart

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Bainbridge, Ohio

Honored By

Ralph Bozorth

WAS AWARDED THE CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR. TECHNICAL SERGEANT, U.S. ARMY, COMPANY H, 359TH INFANTRY, 90TH INFANTRY DIVISION. PLACE AND DATE: NEAR KERLING, FRANCE, NOVEMBER 12, 1944. ENTERED SERVICE AT: TEXAS CITY, TEXAS. CITATION: 'HE COMMANDED A PLATOON THAT BORE THE BRUNT OF A DESPERATE ENEMY COUNTERATTACK NEAR KORLING, FRANCE, BEFORE DAWN ON NOVEMBER 12, 1944. WHEN GERMAN TANKS AND SELF-PROPELLED GUNS PENETRATED HIS LEFT FLANK AND OVERWHELMING INFANTRY FORCES THREATENED TO OVERRUN THE 1 REMAINING MACHINE-GUN IN THAT SECTION, HE RAN 400 YARDS THROUGH WOODS CHURNED BY ARTILLERY AND MORTAR CONCENTRATIONS TO STRENGTHEN THE DEFENSE. WITH THE 1 REMAINING GUNNER, HE DIRECTED FURIOUS FIRE INTO THE ADVANCING HORDES UNTIL THEY SWARMED CLOSE TO THE POSITION. HE LEFT THE GUN, BOLDLY CHARGED THE ATTACKERS AND, AFTER A 15-MINUTE EXCHANGE OF HAND GRENADES, FORCED THEM TO WITHDRAW LEAVING 30 DEAD BEHIND. HE RE-CROSSED THE FIRE-SWEPT TERRAIN TO HIS THEN THREATENED RIGHT FLANK, EXHORTED HIS MEN AND DIRECTED MURDEROUS FIRE FROM THE SINGLE MACHINE-GUN AT THAT POSITION. THERE, IN THE LIGHT OF BURSTING MORTAR SHELLS, HE AGAIN CLOSED WITH THE ENEMY IN A HAND GRENADE DUEL AND, AFTER A FIERCE 30-MINUTE BATTLE, FORCED THE GERMANS TO WITHDRAW LEAVING ANOTHER 20 DEAD. THE GALLANTRY AND INTREPIDITY OF TECHNICAL SERGEANT EVERHART IN RALLYING HIS MEN AND REFUSING TO FALL BACK IN THE FACE OF TERRIBLE ODDS WERE HIGHLY INSTRUMENTAL IN REPELLING THE FANATICAL ENEMY COUNTERATTACK DIRECTED AT THE AMERICAN BRIDGEHEAD ACROSS THE MOSELLE RIVER.'